How are your Holidays?

As a kid I hated getting ready for a holiday because I was leaving all my friends and comfortable surroundings.

But once I got there I loved it.

The smells sound and colours of a seaside resort were wonderful and of course the rock, which I admit to eating far too much of and occasionally being unwell as a result.

Its like a dark and light side of your view on life.

I was asked if networking can be a bad thing and is there a dark side to networking.

My answer: Its like doing something new, something different, it depends on how much, what type, and if you take too much or if you take it from a stranger.

The last few weeks have illustrated an unfortunate but clear example of scary and uncomfortable networking. What happens when some people are not only in the know, but use the information unwisely and others are negatively impacted.

The financial fiasco has many people to blame. But we are networkers and we are optimists which is why we do it. But who is going to sort out the ongoing mess?

When our world is going 90 miles a minute it doesn't seem necessary to say, let's slow down and ask ourselves a few questions. Now that sort of thinking makes sense.


A few questions that are worth asking:

How well do I know this person? If you know someone socially, they may know something about investments or another topic. Or they may not. It doesn't mean you need to grill them, but taking anecdotal advice can be risky. It is fine to have friends who are just that - friends. They don't need to be your business advisors. From the other side people I do business with should be respectful and have integrity.

That doesn't mean we're going to be best friends. What is their motive? Everyone has an objective for the connection. It can be honourable, maybe not. I ask people what's in it for them. There needs to be some benefit for both parties or a project won't succeed.

Does it pass your mothers test? If you were asked by your mother about a networkers services- would you be confident? The acid test of your product or services is that would people in the room refer you to their mum? It’s a hard one that, as there are people I know and like that I have met through networking that I would either have to think about very hard. Or decline to pass them a referral from someone I know, just because they don’t do exactly what it says on the tin

In the press? What if you read about your relationship in the newspaper or saw a story on TV. Would you feel at all uncomfortable? Networking succeeds when it enhances the lives of others and helps people do well. Remember its about building trust based relationships. How do I look to the world?

Some time ago, I got a call from a woman asking me for help on her dissertation. She was a business student and her paper was on effective marketing techniques. She said she wanted to include networking. Much to my surprise when I took some time to research her and the class, it turned out she was a consultant for a competitor.

The transference of trust is at the heart of networking. The ultimate connection is when someone makes a connection on your behalf. Honour others who give you their confidence. Ask good questions of those who may need some guidance when learning best practices.

Warren Buffet says, "When people are greedy, be scared. And when people are scared, be greedy." Take a few moments to evaluate whether or not to network.

In the end, it will let you conserve time, money, and maybe even avoid a head ache.

Paul

Helping Real People do Real business Through Real networking

Learning from our Pets

I came across this the other day and though how appropriate for networkers:

Things we can learn from our Dog…..

• Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• When it's in your best interest, always practice obedience.
• Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
• Take naps and always stretch before rising.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
• Be loyal.
• Never pretend to be something you're not.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
• When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• No matter how often you are criticized, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout. Run right back and make friends.

Author unknown

Have a great weekend

Paul

Helping RealPeople do Real Business through Real Networking

60 SECONDS PART 3

A series of occasional pieces on how to construct a 60 second pitch that GETS RESULTS

TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT, WHAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WANT

Remember the Spice Girls song? Well that is the perfect template for getting business from Networking groups.

Getting referrals from networking events is straightforward. However the first thing you need to do is change your view in the process.

Have you ever heard people at networking events ask for introductions into Small businesses, or start ups, or better still to people who want to save money? You have been told to be specific in what you ask for as a referral and to a point all of the above are specific. Well they maybe to you but are they to the rest of the group?

Asking for something is a skill that has been conditioned out of most of us. When you were a small child you thought nothing of picking things and expecting mummy or daddy to pay for them. One of your all time favourites was “Mummy can I have?”

Over time with the continual No response you asked less and less.

Your ability to return to the times of asking for specific things when networking is so much more powerful than may think.

I will explain: Often I hear people asking for a business group they believe are good potential customers such as Start-Ups. Obvious people to target, they will need a printer, designer. Web designer, Banker, Accountant and a whole range of services networkers can provide.

At this stage I ask one question, “So how would I know that?” The answer is I probably don’t know someone has started up on their own until they tell me. Or if it is a neighbour you notice a changed pattern of behaviour. The car leaves at a different time, they seem to be around more, or less. These signs give you clues things have changed but do not tell you the person has started to work for themselves.

When selecting targets to ask for in you networking groups, it pays dividends to think about your audience.

Ask yourself how your audience will remember what you are asking for?

When you hear people in your group ask for referrals ask yourself “So how would I know that?” Be specific and you will get what you ask for, be general it you will take longer to get where you want to be and you may not get the results you are looking for.

I will be posting a couple of examples in the next Blog.

Paul

Helping Real People do Real Business through Real Networking

Quick Business and Networking

How do you generate business quickly though networking?

That is a question I am often asked. It is though not a simple one to answer. Networking works because it is founded on trust based relationships that are fostered over time. Now time cannot be circumvented, or shortened or avoided just because you want to.

I was in conversation with someone recently who told me he wanted his sales staff to join our networking group. Great I thought. But then he said something that floored me.

“You know networking is Ok for getting your name out quickly, but it’s not for the long term.”

Networking is like lots of other things in life that get dressed up in a variety of guises so people can sell you the product.

Networking works because of the trust based relationships that are developed over time. That’s it. I could tell you it is the business we pass or the education you get in your meeting, or the fact that others explain in detail about their products or services. Those all help, but in the end it is time that cements it all together.

If you want success to come to you there are three things that will help you.

• Know your target market
• Understand the problems you can solve for clients
• Have a positive outcome from your intervention

Then you need to identify some targets. Companies & names of people in them and the problems you can solve for them. The network can help you if you help them

Paul

Helping Real people do Real business Through Real networking

60 Seconds Part 2

This is the second in an occasional section on your 60 second presentations.

What you say

I don’t know about you, but I have listened to some truly awful 60 second presentations. You find that people who miss the point when delivering their 60 seconds fall into one of three camps.

The Stick in the Mud’s: They do not change their script from week 1 to whenever they stop going. I was a member of a group where a tradesman said exactly the same thing week on week. Even when we had to reduce ours to 30 or 45 seconds, he still ploughed on with his single prepared commercial. The effect on the members is they stop listening.

The Readers: Who insist on typing out their 60 seconds (a good thing to do) but then insist on reading it without looking at the audience. Preparing your 60 seconds is defiantly a great idea, but then you should take time to learn it so when you deliver it sounds passionate. When you read aloud it sounds forced and often fake. Also as they avoid the audience they do not engage the audience. The effect is that your potential sales people and Advocates switch off.

The Confused: All so often a member will tell a different story each week, which keeps their message fresh. However, all too often this sort of presentation changes the essential message of the product or service. With all things in life consistency brings greater rewards. The more you change your offering the more confusion you bread.
Oh and then there is the down right booringh who are probably best left alone.


SO what should a good 60 seconds contain?

If you think of it as a commercial you will start to realise what goes in the commercial:

• Your name and company 10%
• What you do, your service product description 30%
• Both of these should be the same or broadly the same every week.
• Either a testimonial, further product or service description or new product news 30%
• Who you would like an introduction to 20%
• Finally a hook or a repeat of who you are and what you do 10%

There are stacks of techniques for delivering a successful and profitable 60 seconds
Keep an eye out for the third part of a 60 second presentation which will be on how you get what you really, really want as the Spice girls once told us.

Paul

Helping Real People do Real Business through Real Networking

The Construction of a 60 seconds -- How to make an impact

Given that we all deliver a 60 second commercial in our networking club meetings, it often astounds me how little thought some people put in to it. In fact I was asked yesterday for tips on making an impact during a 60 second commercial. I use the word commercial as that is what a 60 seconds is your commercial, your advertisment to the world.


Now think to the memorable commercials you have seen and they all have one thing in common – Clarity.


I hear lots of 60 seconds, and a trap that many people fall into is telling the audience about their skill and not what they can do.


For example I had been listening to a personal therapist for about two years not fully understanding what it was they did. Then one day he stood up and said how would we like to kiss an ex smoker today?

Instantly everyone got it.


He told them what he could do for you. Do you do that?

Here is an anatomy of a 60 seconds:

• Opening including who you are and what you do 5 – 10 seconds
• Description of your product or services 10- 15 seconds
• Your experience 5 – 10 seconds
• Why people should advocate for you 10 – 15 seconds
• Repeat who you are, what you do and a strap line 10 – 15 seconds

If you stick to that format you should get everything across to the audience in 60 seconds. Providing you are clear in your message, to be sure try it out on a friend or family member, if they understand so should your audience.

Clarity is your key to being understood

Paul

Helping Real people, do Real business through Real networking

With Thousands of suppliers offering you their services-Word of mouth is King

Recently I was at a Refer-on meeting and the marketing consultant explained how the supplier market was changing.

She took us back to the days before the Net, back to a time when you would call the usual list of people who you have used or the ones who called and left details. Or if you were desperate, take a directory and let your fingers do the walking.

Next step would be to probably meet them all before making your final decision. You may have relied on personal recommendations to help in your decision.

That has all changed. Now that you have a choice of thousands on the Internet how do you decide which one to use?

If you ask several people how they chose the answers are often as varied as the supply possibilities. You cannot possibly see them all, so what do you do?

When the group was asked what their solution was there was a common theme.

Almost all of them said they rely more than ever on the recommendation of a trusted contact. This brings us to the question of where you meet the people you trust to give you that advice?

Network groups above all are where these trust based relationships are formed. But what sort of group should you join? More next time until then……

With this world of enormous choice Word of Mouth is more important than ever.

Helping Real people do Real Business through Real Networking!